Method and system for interactive generation of presentations

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed include computerized methods and systems for creating slideshow presentations using an outline based programming language. The outline based input is normalized, thereby permitting receipt of the input from devices using different operating systems. A lexical analysis is performed on the input to compile a set of tokens and a hierarchical data structure is created from the set of tokens. A slideshow presentation is created from the hierarchical data structure.

1 . A method for creating slideshow presentations, comprising:
 receiving an input in an outline based programming language format;   normalizing the input;   performing a lexical analysis on the input to compile a set of tokens;   creating a hierarchical data structure from the set of tokens; and   creating a slideshow presentation from the hierarchical data structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the input in an outline based programming language format is created from an input in a format other than the outline based programming language format. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the input in an outline based programming language format is created from a preexisting presentation not created based on the outline based programming language. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the slideshow presentation is created in HyperText Markup Language format. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a preliminary input in another format and generating the input in the outline based programming language format based on the preliminary input. 
     
     
         6 . A system for creating slideshow presentations, the system comprising:
 a means for receiving an input, that input being in an outline based programming language format,   a server capable of normalizing the input, performing a lexical analysis on the input to compile a set of tokens, creating a hierarchical data structure from the set of tokens, and creating a slideshow presentation from the hierarchical data structure.   
     
     
         7 . A system of  claim 6  wherein the means for entering an input is a personal computer. 
     
     
         8 . A system of  claim 6  wherein the means for entering an input is a cellular phone. 
     
     
         9 . A system of  claim 6  wherein the server is also capable of saving the input for creation of the slideshow presentation at a later date. 
     
     
         10 . A system of  claim 9  wherein the server is capable of overwriting the saved input. 
     
     
         11 . A system of  claim 6  wherein the input in an outline based programming language format is created from another type of input. 
     
     
         12 . A system of  claim 11  wherein the input in an outline based programming language format is created from a PowerPoint formatted presentation. 
     
     
         13 . A system of  claim 6  wherein the slideshow presentation is created in any one or more of the following: HyperText Markup Language, JavaScript, XML, CSS (cascading style sheets) and image media. 
     
     
         14 . A system of  claim 6  wherein the slideshow presentation is created in PowerPoint format. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium having computer programming thereon for causing one or more processors to create a presentation based on an outline based programming language, the computer programming comprising:
 An interface module for causing the processors to provide an interface for accepting input;   A pre-processing module for causing the processors to prepare and sanitize input for conversion into slideshow;   A lexical analysis module for causing the processors to reduce input to discrete tokens suitable for parsing;   A parsing module for causing the processors to extract slideshow structure and properties from sequences of tokens; and   An interpreter module for causing the processors to convert an abstract slideshow representation into a concrete output format.   
     
     
         16 . A networked computerized system for permitting end users to generate and view a slide presentation, the system comprising:
 an electronic network;   a first end user computing device coupled to the network, the first end user computing device associated with a first end user,   at least a second end user computing device coupled to the network, the second end user computing device associated with a second end user,   a web server coupled to the network, the web server configured in accordance with software in memory to:   generate a presentation in response to receiving from the first end user computing device an input to create the presentation, the input in an outline based programming language;   save the presentation;   assign an edit key and a view key to the presentation;   receive a request from the second end user computing device, the request specifying a key that is either the edit key or the view key;   if the specified key is the edit key, then permitting instructions from the second end user computing device to edit the presentation;   if the specified key is the view key, then providing the second end user computing device a view of the presentation and not permitting instructions from the second end user computing device to edit the presentation.